Exporting and Importing Blueprints and Content

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You can programmatically export blueprints and content from one vRealize Automation environment to another by using the vRealize Automation REST API or by using the vRealize CloudClient.

For example, you can create and test your blueprints in a development environment and then import them into your production environment. Or you can import a property definition from a community forum into your active vRealize Automation tenant instance.

You can programmatically import and export any of the following vRealize Automation content items:

Application blueprints and all their components

IaaS machine blueprints

Software components

XaaS blueprints

Component profiles

Property groups

Property group information is tenant-specific and is only imported with the blueprint if the property group already exists in the target vRealize Automation instance.

When you export a blueprint from one vRealize Automation instance tenant into another, the property group information defined for that blueprint is not recognized for the imported blueprint unless the property group already exists in the target tenant instance. For example, if you import a blueprint that contains a property group named mica1, the mica1 property group is not present in the imported blueprint unless the mica1 property group already exists in the vRealize Automation instance in which you import the blueprint. To avoid losing property group information when exporting a blueprint from one vRealize Automation instance to another, use vRealize CloudClient to create an export package zip file that contains the property group and import that package zip file into the target tenant before you import the blueprint. For more information about using vRealize CloudClient to list, package, export, and import property groups, as well as other vRealize Automation items, see the VMware Developer Center at https://developercenter.vmware.com/tool/cloudclient.

When exporting and importing blueprints programmatically across vRealize Automation deployments, for example from a test to a production environment or from one organization to another, it is important to recognize that clone template data is included in the package. When you import the blueprint package, default settings are populated based on information in the package. For example, if you export and then import a blueprint that was created using a clone-style workflow, and the template from which that clone data was derived does not exist in an endpoint in the vRealize Automation deployment in which you import the blueprint, some imported blueprint settings are not applicable for that deployment.

As an IT professional evaluating or learning vRealize Automation, you want to import a robust sample application into your vRealize Automation instance so you can quickly explore the available functionality and determine how you might build vRealize Automation blueprints that suit the needs of your organization.